Mending the Heart
by Soap Box Opera
Summary: Rapunzel has lived 200 years more than the human lifespan and no matter how badly she wants to die, the flower won't let her. So she continues to live alone on earth under depression until Jack magically appears into her life and decides to mend and guard her broken heart. [The Big Four] [Present Day]


Mending the Heart

Chapter One: A Cup of Tea and Wine

Rapunzel looked out the small oval window. She had always chosen to sit by the window in airplanes – not because she can look outside but instead, she does so to avoid conversation. Lately however, she hasn't had to worry too much over chats because the people in the 21st century were too absorbed in their own space to strike up a chat.

Through the closed window, there is an open field of concrete and other planes connected to the airport. Below the airplane, men in bright orange coats throw the luggage into a conveyor belt that sloped into the back of the plane. Inside the plane, families and single passengers shuffled down the plane aisle to get into their seats. Some chirped in excitement while some remained silent with yellow crust still in their eyes. A soft buzz fills the air as the engine softly hums into life and oxygen spills into the cabin.

Despite aviation being available to the public for nearly 100 years, Rapunzel is still amazed by the advancement of technology. She had been part of the crowd that watched the Wright brothers raise their wooden plane off the ground and now, planes have adapted to become large metal machines that have the capacity to carry 500 people plus additional luggage. The seats were wrapped in velvet and cloth; it had televisions attached to the back while the plane catered food and restrooms with attendants. 230 years ago, no one would have conceived this idea.

If only her family had been here to see – "Hey." She can feel her seat shift as someone's weight rests on the seat beside hers. She turns and forces a smile.

"Hello." She says to the fairly handsome man. He's a young lad – somewhere just past his 30's with an attractive smile and dark blue eyes. His hair is very short and a pale toned yellow while his scruff is a mismatched darker brown.

"I'm Charlie." From his mouth, a light European accent draws out as he offers a hand. Rapunzel raises a curious eyebrow; it had been a long time since a man had been this forward.

"I'm Rapunzel." A genuine smile comes across her face as she takes his hand into hers. Though it was far from normal in 21st century mannerism, she found it comforting as it reminds her of the past's mannerism – which she prefers over now.

"Rapunzel?" He asks as if she had made a mistake on her own name – or that it had been a joke but she is not offended at all. Many of the people she had met always had the same reaction.

"Yup, Rapunzel." There's a ring in her tone when she answers him.

"No bloody way. I demand to see some kind of ID."

"Well you'll be surprised then." She pulls out her passport and freely offers it to him. Though this action would be considered dangerous, Rapunzel had no worries. She had made enough underground connections to whip up any kind of document encase he had stolen it – which she doubts.

He examined it carefully and handed the small booklet back. "Don't go stalking me now." The atmosphere had now opened into lighthearted banter and she takes her American passport back; her Canadian passport had been stuffed deep within her purse.

"Ohh… Not too sure." His hand crawls to his chin as he scratched the light brown stubble while his eyes wandered to the top of the ceiling but soon he joins Rapunzel's laughter. "But really, have no worries. I can't remember a bloody phone number and the great New York City is a large state with over flooded people. I'm sure we won't pass each other… unless fate brings us close." He winks, causing Rapunzel to slur into laughter again. "But really. When my family and I get to New York, we're taking another connecting flight to LA." He notions to the seats on his left, across the aisle. "You know, for a Rapunzel… I imagined her more as a blonde." A finger points at her long brown hair that is held high by a single band.

"Yes. I'm actually thinking of dying it blonde." She combs her long hair over her shoulder. As each generation goes, she often shifts between blond and her natural brunette colour to help her hide her appearance.

"Yeah, that'd be good then. You'd look exactly like the Disney Rapunzel… My wife and daughter love watching it, they even got it on Blu-Ray." He leans back on his seat so Rapunzel can see the woman on the other side of the aisle. However his wife's face couldn't be seen because her back is turned to them as she attends a child but eventually Charlie calls out to her.

"Hey Claire," He says, waiting for the attendant to pass by before he pats his wife shoulder. His wife turns around and her bright blue eyes sparkle behind her curly blonde hair. "Look who I found. This girl's name is Rapunzel." Claire's mouth opens in surprise before she smiles with a quick giggle.

"No way, I don't believe it." Claire responds and her accent is a little different from Charlie's European one, instead, Rapunzel is certain she's Australian.

"No, it's true. My name is Rapunzel."

"Oh wow, my daughter Lizzie and I loved Tangled. I'm sure you've seen it?" She asks.

"Surprisingly. No, I haven't." But Rapunzel has a fair idea of where the movie was headed. After all, she had been the one to tell her story to the actual man himself.

"Oh you have to watch it. It's absolutely amazing. I'm sure Lizzie would love to talk to you but she's sleeping and when kids fall asleep on a flight…" Rapunzel nods, knowing completely what if felt like to take a rest while a child is asleep. After all, she had been a mother once…

"It's fine, I get it." Rapunzel says, now sitting properly as the intercom scratched and a voice called out so the passengers have their attention. They begin to go through the instructions in English while the video on screen sync with their explanation. Standing in both aisles, a row of attendants extend their arms and point to exits, emergency kits, signals and pamphlets before shuffling back to their own station to buckle up.

Rapunzel can hear the engine roar into life as it backs out of its area and drives to the long runway. Once it's at the end of the runway, the engine's roar louder and the plane picks up speed. In a few seconds, it is hovering over the concrete before comfortably into the air before the wheels up curl into the plane. Rapunzel can feel the weight shift in her stomach and from the window, she can see the city buildings turn into grey specks. As they reach each mile upwards, it is eventually covered by cloud and the world seems to disappear under them.

Her ears clog uncomfortably and she remembers a remedy that was once taught to her – she pinched her nose and blew hard so her ears popped clean. She turns her head slightly to glance at Charlie who's rubbing his wife's shoulder. A little boy – Rapunzel assumes him to be their son, is on his knees as he continues to look out the window and in between Claire and her son is a sleeping Lizzie. "Flights make her nervous?" Rapunzel asks, looking at Charlie.

"Yeah… it's a really long story." Charlie tries to tell her with a grin. "Really bad turbulence between Sydney and LA." His cliché words trigger a thought in Rapunzel… really long story… that's what she's been telling people lately whenever they got too curious over her life. Her long life made it hard to track which story she would choose to stick to and thus, intimacy with another being was hard and lonely.

She had tried to have animal companions… but their lives ended faster than humans and so she found their cycle of life and death to bear more pain… and despite her trying to fill the missing piece that once lay comfortably on her shoulder, no other animal could replace her chameleon Pascal.

She turns to face the window and settles in the lavished chair while she rehearses in her head what her story will be when she lands in the quieter parts of New York. She had settled on working for a quiet bookstore – it was quiet and almost always desolate. That way, she can work quietly and blend in with the crowd. She'll say that she's trying to earn money for tuition as an English major, when in reality, during those days she isn't working, she'd most likely be volunteering under a nursing home. Then she'll keep up this rouse until she'll move to – she still has to decide – when the lack of aging in her face becomes noticeable.

She had just come from the northern parts of Canada in a cabin secluded by the tall trees, snow covered mountains and long winding rivers and lakes. To get to town, it would require a long ride so she would stock up and made it her quest to not come to town unless it was necessary. She had stayed there for 20 years, painting whatever she could and eventually sell it under various fake names she had created and then give them to her manager who she had never seen. Her manager – whoever it was (she preferred not to know them) never really questioned the identity of Rapunzel, especially with the kind of money she would pay them.

By the time the small populated Canadian Town began gossiping about her, she decided it was time to pack up and move on. By then, an old couple who had rented her apartment in New York died and their relatives had packed up everything and left the condo vacant for at least a week. She could have chosen another cottage she had in Iceland but she figured it'd be best to get acquainted with the world she had missed for 20 years before she falls behind too far in history. Then again, she can change her flight in an instance and isolate herself in Iceland because she did have someone who'd be willing to collect years of history for her to read.

Her… 'friend' Avner Narkis was part of a Jewish family she kept hidden in her home while the Germans – her own people – swept through homes trying to take whoever they could. By then, Rapunzel had made quite a name for herself – a noblewoman who owned many properties, including farms that luckily sustained food for her and those who remained loyal to her. While she was able to keep a fair share of Jewish families hidden, when the war ended, she supplied all the families and their children with money and education. Avner had grown up to be an accountant and later came back to become Rapunzel's own personal accountant, confidant and adviser. She hardly bothered him because he was too busy managing her underground businesses, stock markets, investments and current news that she would read to catch up to the current time. Throughout that time, they had built a strong relationship and she soon opened up parts of herself that she wouldn't to other people – like the flower inside her that kept her alive for centuries.

She couldn't believe that he was retiring – he was already 73 and she had known him since he was 7. That was the most painful part over bonding with people but pain had turned into nothing more than bitter whiskey – it takes more to knock you out. A deep breath escapes her… Avner had told her that he had been training a young man to take over all his responsibilities when he passes. The future was a thought that would quickly become a reality and the only way to keep that thought far for now was to sleep.

123

There was a tap on her arm and a gentle male's voice called out to her. She knew she could dwell on the soft voice, skew it in her mind to make it sound like Eugene's, though she hardly remembered how it sounded like so she instead forced her eyes open and realized that they had landed and Charlie was just waking her up. "We've arrived." He smiled. They were already on the ground and the plane was heading towards the airport to park. They waited for further instructions and soon Charlie stood to get the luggage on the top counters.

He motioned for his son, Aaron, to come and take some of the hand carries while he reached down to pick up Lizzie. The still sleeping Lizzie cozied her arms around her father's neck and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder while he carried her with one arm and the other he held on a duffle bag. "It was nice meeting you Rapunzel." He tells her. "Hope you enjoy it in New York."

"Thanks, I hope LA goes smoothly for you." Rapunzel wishes back to Charlie and Claire who reveals her swelling belly when she stands – she's pregnant with their 3rd child. Once the family were out of sight, Rapunzel stood to grab her luggage before walking out to say goodbye to the attendants and captain. Down the hallway and through the luggage grab, she nears the exit of the airplane and sees Avner holding sign that said "Mrs. Fitzherbert". His gray balding head, his droopy nose and his large sweet smile is still the same as she had last seen it.

"Oh Avner." She sighs with deep content before opening her arms for a long hug. "How I've missed you." She says.

"And I to you." He lets out a hearty laugh. It wasn't until they part, she sees a young lad beside him. He's a handsome fellow with short curly hair and he has a nervous energy around him. "Well let me introduce you, this is my grandson Gedaliah."

"Ah, the youngest out of 5?" Rapunzel remembers.

"Yes, he is." Avner reaches out to pat his grandson's back and notions him to meet Rapunzel.

"H-Hello Miss." He bows and shows a hand.

"You choose one, boy, not both." Avner corrects Ged and the lad straightens his posture to reveal a red face. Rapunzel takes the hand and he gives it a firm shake.

"Don't worry Gedaliah, this age didn't turn me into an old witch." She winks at the male which caused him to turn redder. "And we'll have years to get to know each other, I must admit however, that I'll miss your grandfather very much." She says, looking at Avner and gives him a one armed hug. Avner pecks her cheek and notions his grandson to carry the luggage as he shows Rapunzel out to the black Cadillac.

123

Jack Frost had been the recent name spreading among the children. As he raced down the streets of New York, freezing whatever it is he could land on or hover over, he would wave a hand or say a quick greeting to the children who saw him with wild bedazzlement. Life's gotten much easier now that he wasn't so alone. Despite him complaining over E, he enjoyed that bunny's company.

He flew past the crowded streets, bringing with him a large draft of wind that swept people nearly off the streets before bolting up the buildings and giving frost on each window. He flew up and down and up and down again before going across and into the central park and towards the buildings again. With a burst of energy he reached the top of the last building and sat on the rooftop, admiring his work before floating gently onto the ground like a snowflake.

He enjoyed the mass amount of people in New York, he felt part of it because New York ignored everyone, including dear Jack. This season was extremely busy with Christmas just around the corner, and so there were more children walking down the streets than normal times of the year. He made a quick stop to a pastry shop to grab a donut as quietly as he could before and blending back into the sea of people. To a normal eye, it would look like a floating donut but no one had the time to take another look over. As he finished it with two big bites, he couldn't help but stare at a blonde female exiting a black Caddy. She was beautiful but that wasn't the reason why he couldn't help but stare at her… she looked familiar. Extremely familiar and it bothered him that he couldn't put a finger on it. Perhaps she was a granddaughter of someone famous back in the day thus carrying familiar traits?

So indulged in his thoughts, he hadn't realized the people who walked through him and those that did, sneezed loudly. He was caught by one particularly loud sneeze and turned to look over his shoulder to quickly say sorry to those who had walked through him and when he looked back towards the familiar female, he caught her staring… at him. A jolt ran through his body and he threw himself in an alley. He pressed himself against the wall and took deep breathes to calm his raging mind. No adult could see him… well, unless they believed without a doubt… no, she must have been staring at someone other than him… but that eye lock. He ran a hand through his hair and peeked over the wall, expecting her to still be there but instead he sees a young man exit the Cadillac with luggage and enter the building right behind her.

He walked through the wall and drew on his hood – though he doubted it would hide him properly, after all, he carried a large staff and walked around bare feet with questionably looking clothes. As he kept walking on the marble flooring, he heard a soft voice call out to him. He turned his head and saw a young lady beside her parent waving at him. He sheepishly waved back – even a young child new it was him despite his hood on. Through the corner of his eye, he saw the woman and two men enter the elevator and before they turned around to face his way, he ducked behind a counter, earning a giggle from the young child who had been watching him.

He smiled back and placed a finger of his mouth. She covered her laugh with chubby hands and nodded. It was then, her mother looked at her daughter and asked what she was doing but she just shook her head and shrugged. Jack smiled and gave a thumbs up to the child before turning his attention back to the woman who caught his attention in the first place. The elevator doors were closed in a split moment of flashing thoughts, his eyes raised to look at the lights on top of the elevator lighting up and settling at 21.

He pushed himself up and spun into the air, through the ceiling and counted each floor he passed until he settled in the hallway of floor 21. Looking to his left and right, he could not see her but he could hear quiet chatters. He followed the sounds and entered a dead end, two doors across from each other – which one? He pressed his ear against the door to the right but could not hear a thing so he moved to the one on the left. There he could hear a conversation. "Rapunzel… Gedaliah will take you around the city to show you were things are." A deep croaky voice said.

"Thanks Avner and Gedaliah." A feminine voice responded, this Jack, figured, is Rapunzel.

"Oh, uhm, Mrs. Fitzherbert. Are you sure you don't need help unpacking?"

"No, I'm alright Ged."

"Call us if you need anything. We'll be back later with groceries." When their footsteps approached the door, Jack stepped back and looked around for a place to hide. He jumped through the window and floated by the side of the building until he was staring into Rapunzel's apartment through her floor to ceiling tall windows. It was tidy, empty and the colours were mute. He watched the woman kneel in front of a bookshelf and pull a thick album out of her bag.

Each delicate yellowed page she flipped would take a moment of her time as she dwelt on the contents, her frown grew deeper and the bags under her eyes were more evident. Curiosity and a mixture of supernatural attraction drew him closer towards Rapunzel until he stood behind her, peering into the images and letter stuck onto the book. She ran a finger over the old dry ink while Jack read them. It was when he finished, had he realized it was a letter addressed to Rapunzel… from someone named Eugene. To sum it up, the letter had talked about missing Rapunzel while he was a way hunting with his father-in-law. She flipped onto the next page and saw a sketch of a fairly handsome man with a woman who looks like Rapunzel. He bent over to get a genuine look at the sketch and those large eyes form the female bore straight into him and through his mind.

"Jack." The calling of his name forced him back and he tumbled over. He remained quiet – was she talking to him? Or recalling a name from her memories? "Yes, you. Jack with the staff and the father of winter." She glances over her shoulder and smiles at him. He's flustered and he can feel his cheek warm as her green eyes continue to stare at him.

"Y-you can see me?" He asked in astonishment.

"Well, when you come around my age after seeing things that shouldn't exist, you begin to believe. And besides, why wouldn't I remember the man who saved me?" She said.

"Saved?" He floated near her and examined her face and tried to think of anything that would trigger his memory.

"Yup, it was… around 1960 in New Orleans Louisiana. A bunch of men tried to rob me but winter blew in out of nowhere?"

"Oh! Wait. So. You're." He couldn't find the right words and fumbled over his thoughts. "And that sketch…" He pointed at the scrapbook.

"Yup, I'm still alive and young." She looked down at the floor out of shame.

"H-How? You're not a wandering spirit like what I used to be, are you? Where you chosen by the moon?"

"The moon? No. I was 'chosen' by the sun." She told him.

"And humans can see you?"

"Yes because technically, I still am a human."

"…but you're alive and young." He sputtered, scratching his head in confusion.

"My mother had complications while she was pregnant with me so out of desperation, my father had heard of a magical flower that landed on earth from the sun. When he had found it, they had blessed it over my mom and now it is part of me. It's kept me alive… it doesn't want to die."

"Oh." Jack couldn't say anything else, he averted her painful gaze that bore into his soul. It sucked the energy out of him. She stood and patted the dust off of her skirt and offered her hand. He looked back at her and reached for her hand. Their contact was warm and when she let go of it, he looked at his palm and held onto the lingering odd sensation before he was called into the kitchen.

He glided past the carpet and into the tiled, small kitchen where Rapunzel was boiling water. "Are you fine with tea?"

"Uhm yeah." His hand shot past her, far passing hers as they both reached for the tin can. Just as her hand clung on the tea can, his larger hand wrapped around hers, causing a jolt of electricity to run through his body, starting from his hand. The shock forced both of them to hold eye contact while he handed her the can. He looked away before his face got too warm and turned to sit on a free chair tucked in the corner of the cramped space.

"So." Rapunzel breaks the silence. "What's your story?" She takes a freshly cleaned mug and situates it on the table.

"Erm, the long version?" He asks, thanking her as she poured the hot water in the mug. He stared into it, watching a green colour emit from the bag and spread throughout the liquid. His trance was broken when Rapunzel placed a spoon in his cup.

"Yes, the long version." She repeats with a small chuckle. Jack expected her to sit but instead she comes back with a wine glass and wine bottle in hand. The red liquid soon escaped its lips and entered into the goblet shaped glass, the thick liquid swished around before settling.

"Well. I lived on earth for years without knowing who I was." He shrugged, taking a sip of warm tea. "I had a connection with the moon and I believed it told me my name is Jack. I lived aimlessly, doing anything for entertainment and then, lo and behold, I was called to be a guardian. There I met other guardians: E. Aster Bunnymund the spirit of Easter, Toothiana the tooth fairy, Sandman who gives children good dreams and Nicholas St. North AKA Santa. Guardians are called to protect children and their innocence and so when an evil man named Pitch Black threatened those children, we were called to war. He would give nightmares to children and lived through their fear, through that, children began to lose belief in us, forcing our energy out. Hope seemed lost as we tried to protect the last believer."

"Last believer?" Rapunzel raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," He smiled. "Guardians need the beliefs of children in order to keep living."

"Then that indicator must have been broken, I'm sure I still believed." Her warm voice and smile caused him his cheeks to turn pink.

"Long story short, I didn't want to be a guardian. I was only in it to find my lost memories. I found them during my lowest point, it was then I found faith and became the guardian I was called to be. Before I was chosen, I had protected my sister from sinking into an icy lake and through that sacrifice I was chosen."

"Wow."

"Ha, yeah." He rubbed his nose and wrapped his hands around the warm mug, looking at his reflection. "Well, we won against Pitch and I've been living life with more purpose now. I've got to protect those who believe. Including you." He couldn't help but give a sheepish grin at Rapunzel due to how cheeky his comment sounded. He cleared his through and asked. "What about you?"

The brunette smiled and took a sip of the sweet wine. "It's a terribly long story." She comments but Jack doesn't move an inch as he waits. "Well… I was born in a kingdom known as Corona in Germany…" Her tale continued to her kidnapped and captivity, to her uncanny hero, the floating lanterns, her 'mother' dying, her duties as she learned to be a princess, her wedding, their children… the fleeting days as Eugene aged, as her children aged, as she soon became a folklore to the citizens and soon disappeared around Europe, her tales of communication, the World Wars, her encounter with famous people of the past – one specifically Walter Disney.

The wine glass presented as empty and she looked up, half expecting Jack to be asleep but his eye were open and deep in thought as he processed all that information. "I can't image the pain of watching everyone you know die." He whispers.

"It's painful. I hate to admit it and I had tried ending my own life just to escape the pain but the flower wouldn't let me." There was a distant noise as her front door cranked open. Avner and Gedaliah entered with bags full of grocery.

"Rapunzel?" Avner called out.

"In here." Jack stayed and saw the old and young enter.

"Tea and wine?" Avner asks.

"I had a guest." She winks at Jack who was clearly not seen by the two.

"Oh?" Avner says while filling the fridge with food.

"I'd like to visit you again." Jack tells her. He knew. Part of him knew and needed and wanted to protect her whatever happiness she had left. To see her smile as she did when retelling the tale of how her and her husband met. "This is Christmas Week." He tells her and despite her staring at Gedaliah, he knew she was listening. "I'd like to take you out somewhere for Christmas." He says. "I'm going to be busy, brining snow around but I'll make it. I promise." Rapunzel looks at him and just before he leaves, she tells him to wait.

"Sorry what?" Gedaliah asks.

"Oh, sorry Ged." Rapunzel tells him. "Nothing, continue doing what you're doing." She sneaks out of the kitchen and comes back with a small bottle with liquid inside while a thin leather string holds the bottle. "This is for you." She whispers. "My tears heal anything." She slips the necklace through Jack's head. "Thanks for listening." She pecks his cheeks. "Bye." It was then, Jack slipped through the floor, passing each level until he forces his head to clear his before slipping through the main ground level. Floating on his back he takes a deep breath.

"Rapunzel." He whispers taking the bottle in his hand, he examined the liquid inside before gripping it tightly. He knew then, he'd bring back her smile and give her a purpose. He knew what it felt like living on earth alone and yet he also knew the exciting company of immortal friends. Next stop would be North Pole, he'll have to inform Mrs. North that there will be a plus one for their yearly Christmas dinner.

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This is a short story! With only three chapters, so two more! Just a nice break between my Zelink story.

God bless :)


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